Improvement in furnaces for upright steam-generators



partially consumed.

taten SILAS C. SALISBURY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. Letters Patent No. 88,080,lated March 23, 18i9.

IMPROVEMENT IN 'FURNACES PQR UPRIG-HT STEAM-GENERATORS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of 'ghelam@ Q-we To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SILAS C.SALlsBURY, of the :city of New York, in the county of New York, andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFurnaces for the Combustion of Fuel, and in their Application toVertical Steam-Boilers; and I do herebydeclare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, and of their mode, or mannerof operation, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, and making apart of thisspecitication.

The object of my invention is. to economize the use of fuel forgenerating steam, and to make the same effectual to the greatest degreepossible; and

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof the lire and combustion-chambers of steam-geuerators, whereby tosecure a better combustion ofthe fuel; and this I accomplish bymechanical devices which produce chemical affinities, which act inharmony with each other. t

It a well-known fact that with the present construction andarrangeinent; of furnaces, the combustion of .all kinds of fuel--is veryimperfect, not more than about thirty per cent. of the heat-power of.the fuel used being actually made effective, the 'balance passing olf-in the form of carbonio oxides, (which are also injurious to the ilues,85e., through which they pass,) or as palticles of unconsumed productsof combustion, or

Various attempts have been made to secure more nearly perfectcombustion, and thus economize' fuel, and with some success, but suchei'orts have been only in a limited degree successful.

My invention consi'sts-V A First, inthe construction and arrangementofthe fire-chamber, or what may be called the preparingchamber, or retort,in which the fuel is-plaeed, and where it is. slowly decarbonized, andwhich chamber` is abundantly supplied with oxygen and hydro-oxygengases; and

Second, in the combination therewith of a combustion-chamber, into whichthe carbonio oxides and other product-s of combustion, as formed in thefire-chamber,

pass vthrough numerous small orifices, or perforations, and are thussubdividedinto many currents, or parts, and where, by means ofhighly-heated air, and decomposed steam, constantly supplied to suchcombustion chamber, such carbonio oxides are changed in character, andthe gases ofthe coal, air, and water are perfectly mixed and combined,both mechanically and chemically, so that everything combustible isconsumed, and

a veryintensified beat produced, and with a comparatively slowcombustion of fuel.

From a long series of experiments, carefully and practically made, Ihave-demonstrated that by the use of my invention and improvements, asaving of a very large per cent. of fuel is effected, whether anthracite-or bituminous coal orwood is used.

The drawings show the construction of my invention' with averticalboiler.

Figure l is a perspective view of a vertical steam` generatorconstructed with my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section ot' the same.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the lower part of thefire-chamber.

vertical section, of the fire-chamber.

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the entireV furnace and late. g Figure 6 is.a representation of a detached portion of the outer, or iron lining ofthe lire-chamber.

The grate, A, is made of very considerable depth, or thickness, and isformed with abundant and numerous openings, or air-passages, a, so asboth toallow large quantities of air to pass into the' fire from below,

small currents.

The air thus supplied to the lire-chamber becomes durable.

When the grate is a circular, or tilting grate, as shown in the drawing,the enclosing-surface, or. plate A', should -also be fitted withopenings, b, so as to insure the admission of. air from below to everypart of the bottom of the fire or burning fuel.

The fire, or preparing-chamber O is constructed substantially asfollows:

A heavy plate or piece of cast-iron, B, vabout half au inch to au" inchin thickness, is placed within and against the inner plate, c, of theboiler, and extends around the fire-chamber, and upward about as far asthe perpendicular sides of such chamber.

part of it, is placed, at regular or suitable intervals, say everytwoinches, a series of pipes, or half-round tubes, d,v which are open atthe bottom to freely take in air, and closed at the top to prevent theair passing through them, but having, along their inner sides, a vseriesof perforations, e, to allow the air to pass out from such tubeshorizontally.

A section of one of such tubes d, open at the bottom and closed at thetop, isshown in figs. 2 and 6.

Within such cast plate B, and in contact with such air-tubes d, is laidor placed the lire-brick liriug j, which makes the inner walls of thefurnace proper, the inside surface of such lire-brick being formed withflutes, or concave recesses, so as to .prevent the coal or fuel packingagainst/the sides of the furnace; and through such fire-brick, allaround the fire-chamber, are made holes, g, for the passage or admissionof air, corresponding in position with the perforations e in the tubesd.

By means of such air-supplying tubes d, perforated. as described, andthe corresponding perforations g,

through the fire-brick lining f, air is continuallyv snp-v Figure 4-is aview, partly perspective and partly in` .and also divide the air soadmitted into numerous and' more or less heated by passing through theopeningsy a, but it at the same time keeps the under surface of thegrate comparatively cool, and thus makes it more,v

0n the inner sideiof such cast-plate B, or made av rangement ofperforated tubes and fire-brick, in com-- bination with the grate, suchair is presented to and distributed through every part of the burningfuel. A

The air supplied to the chamber C through the tubes d, also becomeshighly heated by passing alongl the heated surface of the castfironplate B, and its tubes d, and through the heated fire-brick lining, andthe fireschamber is thus, in fact, continually supplied with ahot-blast; and to assist in heating the air s o supplied tothe chamberC, thel tubesd may be iilled with tine gauze cloth, made of asbestos,which, though continually hot, will not be consumed.

To such chamber O there is also admitted, through or by means of a pipe,h, extending underneath the open mouths of the air-tubes d, and openinginto the same by means of small perfoiations, or jets, steam orsuperheated steam, taken from the boiler or any convenient'or suitablesource, which becomes decomposed in passing into or on entering suchchamberfurnishing additional oxygen and also hydrogen, and therebyassisting to effect a more complete and perfect combustion ofthe fuel. v

By thus supplying the fire, or preparing-chamber,

-on every side thereof, and on the top of and at diH'erv ent points ofthe burning fuel, with divided jets vof heated air and of decomposed ordecomposing steam, the decarbonization of the fuel commences, or iscarried on from the top and from the outside of the furnace, instead offrom the bottom, and, at -the same time, the intense heat penetrates thecentre, and completely effects the same results there. 'lhe combustionbeing thus carried on most actively from the top and sides of thel fire,the under surface of the grate-bars, notwithstanding the great intensityof the rire, remains quite cool, comparatively. In an ordinary furnace,with a fire of the intensity easily and constantly maintained in mytire, or preparing-chamber, the grate-bars. would be melted or burnedout in a very short time.

The quantity of airand steam supplied to the chamber C, through thetubes d, may be regulated and va.- ried by means of a sliding plate, D,so arranged that the supplyof air and steam, entering the tubes d, canbe partially or wholly cut ofi", as desired, and the cousumptionfof thefuel can thus be regulated according to circumstances.

. The re, or preparing-chamber O, is wholly arched over, as shown infigs. 2 and 4, with lire-brick, or some matelial capable of bearing avery intense heat with? out injury; and above or outside, is what I callthe combustion-chamber E.

Communication between these two chambers, or from the fire .to thecombustion-chamber, is `solely through or by means of numerous smallopenings j. The carbonio oxides and products of combustion formed in thefire, or preparing-chamber C, in passingthrough such openings into thecombustion-chamber E, are dividedinto small currents, and enter suchchamber E at many different angles, and thus are caused to come in morecomplete and intimate contact with, and are thus more eifectually mixedwith the jets or currents of heated air and steam which enter suchcombustionchamber, as well as the fire, or preparing-chamber C. Suchsupplies of air and steam are furnished to the combustion-chamber E,through the spaces, or openings l, formed by the cast-iron plate B ontheone side, and the {irc-brick f on the other, and the air-tubes d,

before described as supplying air and steam to the firechamber C. Asection of one of such openings, or

spaces l, open at the top to allow the air and steam to pass through itand into the combustion-chamber E, is shown in `figs. 2 and 4. 4,Asbefore described, in con nection with the fire-chamber C, the airsupplied to the combustion-chamber becomes highly heated in passingthereto, and is, in fact, a continuous hot-air blast.

The steam-jets, supplied by the pipe h and furnished to thecombustion-chamber, become wholi y, or to avery great degree,decomposed, by contact with the highlyheated iron plate B and fire-brickf, and produce hydro* mygen gases, and thereby increase the quantity ofoxygen, and intensify the heat in both the chambers E and C.

The air, becoming highly heated while passing to the combustion-chamber,is rendered lighter than the carbonio oxides continually pouring intosuch chamber from the fire-chamber O, and au immediate'chemical unionand utilization of suchl gases of coal, air, and

steam, takes place, and their complete and perfect com bustion isproduced.

The pressure and velocity of the steam escaping upward from the pipeh,also produce or cause a'n increased dranght, and' consequently anincreased amount of oxygen is carried in through the tubes d forcombustion. Actual practical tests prove that such use' of steam in thechambers E and Gadds greatlyto the economy produced or effected by thegeneral combination.

The quantity of air and steam supplied to such combustion-chamber E willalso be governed and regulated by a sliding plate, as before describedin connection with the tire-chamber. v

The arch of the chamber C may spring directly from the fire-bricks f,within the line or circuit of the spaces, or openings l l, or, ifextending over the line of such openings, hasopen spaces in it, to allowthe air and steam to pass freely through the spacesl into thecombustion-chamber. The oritices.7',.intl 1e top and sides of thechamber O, should be about half` an inch in diameter, or of about thatcapacity.

To secure greater strength and durability, as well as a saving ofexpense, I preferto make the rebricks f, forming the firechamber proper,in a solid ring or piece; and as before set forth, to prevent the fuelpacking .against the sides of such inner clay ring, as well as toprevent the openings fl-therein gettin filled and becoming stopped up,the linner surface o y such clay lining is tinted, orrecessed, as shownin figs. 3, 4, and 5.

The heat and products of combustion pass from the combustion-chamber Eup through the hot-air tubes F, which are surrounded by water, and intothe chamber G, and thence off through .the chimney or smokepipe H, whichmay be provided with a damper, as in ordinary cases.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The construction of the sides of the ire, or preparing-chamber withdouble, or outer and inner walls, and with tubes and air-passagesbetween them, for the supply and heating of the air, substantially assetforth.

2. The construction and arrangement of the perfo-l rated air-tubes. d,for supplying air to the re, or preparing-chamber, and in combinationtherewith, the perforated inside lining, or wall of such chamber,whereby the air is delivered to the fuel in numerous or divided jets, onevery side of 'such chamber, and on the top of and at different pointsin the burning mass, substantially as set forth. .i

3. The construction of the fire, or preparingfchamber, with a continuousarch or top, lperforatedwith numerous holes, or openings, substantiallyas set forth.

4. The combination, with the fire-chamber C, constructed as described,of the outer combustionchamber E, such puter `chamber being alsoseparately supplied with heated air and'steam, substantially as hereinset forth. y

l 5. The construction and arrangement of the double walls of thepreparing-chamber, and the arrangement of the air-tubes and passagesbetween such Walls, whereby air or air and steam Acan be supplied at thesame time to the fuel-chamber, and to the outer or combustion-chamber,substantially as herein described.

6. The arrangement of the tubes, or passages for supplying air to thefire and combustion-chambers, with the perforated steam-pipe, forsupplying commingled steam and air to such chambers, Aa herein setforth.

7. The construction and arrangement of' the air and steam-supplyingtubes and pipes and the movable plate for governing and regulatingthesupply of air and steam, as set forth.

8. The combination, with the vertical boiler, of the re, orpreparing-chamber and combustion-chamber, constructed and arrangedsubstantially as described.

Witnesses: SILAS C. SALISBURY.

S. D. LAW, FRED. B. SEARS.

